The present invention relates to base stations in a cellular communication system, and more particularly to a mobile base station for use in a cellular communication system.
Most consumers rely on the convenience of a mobile phone to perform some portion of their everyday communication. These communications rely on radio signals to transfer information to and from the mobile phone via a base station. Base stations link mobile phones to the rest of the mobile and fixed phone network. The geographical area to which each base station provides radio coverage is referred to as a cell.
In a typical arrangement, a switching center controls a fixed base station in a cell site via a land wire with the base station serving a set of mobile phones. The switching center tracks calls and transfers them as the caller moves from one cell to the next within the network of cell sites and base stations. As the distance between a mobile phone and a base station increases, signal strength diminishes and adequate reception is compromised, since mobile phones require a certain minimum signal strength for reception. Reception can also be compromised when interference with a stronger signal confuses the mobile phone, and, for example, in tunnels where there is a drop in signal strength. Further, limitations on the number of calls a base station can carry result from the limitations imposed by the amount of radio spectrum made available to each mobile phone operator. Thus, without sufficient base stations in the needed locations, mobile phones are unable to work. Of clear importance in the cellular communication industry, therefore, are the number and location of base stations available to a mobile phone user. The present invention addresses the need for achieving greater availability and proximity of base stations with mobile phone users.
Aspects of a method and system for increasing availability and proximity of base stations for cellular communications are provided. The aspects include providing a mobile base station as a feature of a motor vehicle. Adaptive capabilities within the mobile base station are utilized for compatibility with a mobile phone. Cellular communications are performed with the mobile phone via the mobile base station.
Through the present invention, the existing infrastructure of motor vehicles in the current society is advantageously employed to provide a widely available and accessible network of mobile base stations. In this manner, the number and proximity of base stations for cellular communications are readily and efficiently improved. The present invention further advantageously employs the feature of an adaptive computing engine within the mobile base station for increasing compatibility with cellular networks and improving performance based on changing environmental conditions during cellular communications. These and other advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.